The ACT and Bikmo partnership helping independent retailers
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
With D2C bike brands facing significant headwinds, local bike have seen modest but real improvements in profits and prospects. Partnerships like ACT and Bikmo are helping independents strengthen their future resilience.
Joanna Evans, Head of Bikmo For Business, has covered why this partnership has such strong benefits to independent cycling retailers.
This article was originally published for BikeBiz.
The ACT and Bikmo: A Partnership Powering the Cycling Retailer Renaissance
After years of growth from D2C giants, recent earnings reports from the likes of Canyon, Rose, and YT paint a different picture, with these brands now facing significant headwinds. At the same time, there have been conservative but real, noticeable improvements in the profits and prospects of local bike shops, with 42% reporting a 10-50% earnings increase in recent industry research.
In this shifting landscape, it’s the partnership between the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) and specialist insurer Bikmo that is helping independent retailers build resilience for the future.
Performance bikes need performance servicing
With wireless shifting and suspension, integrated cockpits, and increasingly powerful e-bike systems now the norm, many retailer workshops have experienced first-hand the complexity (and frustration) of performance bike maintenance.
For retailers and mechanics, even with the assurance of Cytech accreditation (awarded through the ACT), there’s still the rare reality of a complex repair going west. That’s why insurance cover designed specifically for cycle retailers and workshops is essential. Bikmo ensures that ACT member businesses are properly protected if an incident arises during servicing, offering peace of mind that their work is always safeguarded.
Rising bike values, rising service options, rising insurance needs
As average bike prices climb, and more shops offer additional services like bike fitting and bike hire, so too does the need for insurance policies that reflect this new reality. A £7,000 road bike or e-MTB isn’t unusual, and many generic retail policies don’t adequately account for these high-value items. Furthermore, many businesses are providing services they simply aren’t insured for under a generic policy designed to protect a newsagent or vape shop. Bikmo’s partnership with the ACT means members can access policies built specifically for the sector with coverage that truly matches the assets in store.
Advocating for the trade
The ACT has long been a voice for cycle retailers, ensuring they are heard on issues ranging from taxation to transport policy. But as legislation evolves, retailers also need specialist partners who understand the risks that regulation, often written without the retailer or rider in mind, can create.
This is where the ACT × Bikmo adds real weight. ACT provides the political advocacy, while Bikmo ensures retailers have robust protection against the consequences of regulatory change, helping the sector remain resilient in the face of uncertainty. And while legislation seems to inexplicably turn against e-bikes, Bikmo and the ACT continue to advocate for one of the industry’s most promising trends.
Insight built on cycling expertise
Insurance is not just about policies; it’s about insight. Bikmo shares knowledge and expertise with ACT members, producing practical guidance on emerging issues around insuring e-bikes and managing the associated workshop liabilities.
And while non-specialist insurers have begun restricting or even, in some cases, refusing cover for e-bike sales and servicing, Bikmo has doubled down on its commitment. For ACT members, that means peace of mind: their insurer understands the market, supports their growth, and won’t shy away from the realities of modern cycle retail.
A partnership built for the future
The ACT and Bikmo are united by a simple mission: to strengthen and sustain the UK’s cycle trade. From financial savings on tailored insurance policies to reinvestment into member services to valuable risk management advice, the partnership is more than transactional. It is a long-term commitment to powering the renaissance of the local cycle retailer.
As an ACT member, you already benefit from the advocacy, advice and insight. But have you taken full advantage of Bikmo’s business insurance to help guide you through the new normal?
Interested? Perhaps it’s time to chat to Bikmo.
For more details on what Bikmo can offer ACT members, click here.